His grandfather - Takafusa Kitano was from the Toyama area and was born in 1886. His mother's maiden name was Kasamata. He came to the US on the Kaga Maru in 1907.

His grandmother - Mutsu Nishimori also from Toyama, was born in 1902. Her mother's maiden name was Shimizu. She came to the US on the Hawaii Maru in 1920. The ship records show that she was from 173 Ota-mura, Kaminiikawa-gun, Toyama-ken.